Arch-support.



W. R. LEE. ARCH SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1909.

1,045,303, Patented NOV. 26, 1912.

' llt WILLIAM R. LEE, OF ROCHESTER. NEW YORK.

ARCH-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

application filed May 7, 1909. Serial No. 494,655.

ports. of the type-which are lnsertible in completed shoes, and it has for an object to provide a ponstruction in'which height of the arch of the support may be varied at thewill of thejearer.

To this and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claim at the end of the specification.

In the drawings-:. Figure 1 is a plan. view of an arch support constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the inner side of the support before the height increasing member is attached thereto; Fig. 3 is a like view after the height increasing member has been attached; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of theiaroh support with the height increasing member therein.

it has been customary heretofore to jemplw}? arch supports which have initially hts corresponding to the heights of the armies of the feet of users, and as a consequcruwe' while the supports are adopting themselves to the feet, the users are subjected to a great deal of pain and inconvenience. .In this invention the arch supports are given heights initially less than the heights of the foot arches in order that the supports adapt themselves to the feet without inconvenience, and after such adaptation are increased in height by the attac lment of a height increasing means.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention there is employed a main body portion comprising two pieces or layers of sheet material 1 and 2, such as pliable leather These sheets may be secured together by stitches 3 along all edges thereof, except the inner edges which are left unconnected so that a pocket is formed opening toward the inner side of the support, rivets 3 being employed at the ends of the stitching to prevent ripping.

In order to give an arched shape to the upper pliable layer, a filler 40f felt or any other material, preferably of a soft or yielding nature, may be arranged within the pocket and secured by cement in this instance, to the under face of the upper layer but free of the upper face of the lower layer. The arch support is used in this form until ithas adapted itself to the feet of a wearer and then a wedge shaped member or auxiliary filler 5 of any suitable material, cork preferably being employed as it is light and yielding, is introduced into the pocket to increase the height of the arch of the support. The resiliency is further increased by making the opposite sides of the height increasing member also of wedge formation, as after each pressure on the arch in Walking the sides of the filler 4 will separate, as shown in Fig. 3, at '7. It will be noted that the lower layer serves as a means for detachably securing or holding the member 5 below the pliable upper layer, thus permitting the height of the arch support to be varied at will. h

At the high point of the arch a flexible extension 6 may be provided on the inner edge of the support. In the present instance this extension is formed on the upper layer or upper wall of the pocket and it is adapted to cooperate with the inner wall of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 4, in order to bridge the space between the arched portion of the support and the inner wall of the shoe.

I claim as my invention:

An arch support for shoes, comprising two layers of pliable sheet material arranged one above the other and secured together along their outer and end. edges thereby providing apocket between them, reinforcing means secured to the layers at points adjacent to shaped to fit or to be inserted within a shoe.

their inner edges and at the ends of the arch of the foot, and having its under side pocket, a flexible portion extending from free from the lower layer.

the upper layer outwardly beyond the edge WILLIAM R LEE of the lower layer, and a filler secured to I; the under surface of t11e=upper layer and Vitnesses:

ternzlixmtin u at the edge of-the lower layer, HAROLD H. SIMMB,

the filler being shaped to conform .to the RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH. 

